In a quiet Gulfport, Mississippi neighborhood, the life of a six-year-old boy named Zaylan Sparkman was tragically cut short on the evening of Friday, August 4, 2017. The young male was at his home on Sabine Street when he sustained a single, fatal gunshot wound to the stomach. Emergency services were called around 6 p.m., and Zaylan was rushed to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room at 7:12 p.m.
The investigation into the shooting quickly
revealed a heartbreaking family tragedy. The person responsible for the fatal shot was Zaylan's own 16-year-old brother, Albert Deonta Craft III. According to police reports, Craft was attempting to scare his younger brother, who was sitting on a washing machine playing video games. He pointed a. 38-caliber handgun at Zaylan, believing that the two bullets in the gun were not near the hammer. He pulled the trigger once and the gun did not fire. When he pulled the trigger a second time, the gun discharged, striking Zaylan. Body camera footage from the responding officers reportedly captured Craft's distressed admission, 'Momma, I just killed him.'
Albert Deonta Craft III was arrested and charged with manslaughter in the death of his brother. He was charged as an adult and held at the Harrison County jail on a $100,000 bond. Authorities stated that the handgun used in the shooting had been obtained illegally. The case was set to go before a grand jury after Craft waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The incident was described by the Gulfport Police Chief as a 'double tragedy' for the family, who would not only have to bury a young child but also see their teenage son's life significantly altered by the legal consequences of his actions.
